Prague, Jan 25 (CTK) – Deputy Prime Minister, Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) leader Pavel Belobradek has rejected the anti-corruption campaign started by five embassies in the Czech Republic, while Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (CSSD) and Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) have welcomed it, daily Pravo writes yesterday.
The embassies of Britain, Canada, Norway, South Korea and the United States in the Czech Republic have just launched a six-week anti-corruption campaign aimed to share experience in fighting corruption in various spheres.
“I will not yet recommend to the Foreign Ministry that it launch reciprocally campaigns in the USA against the shooting of blacks, in Norway against the theft of children, in Britain against the excessive payment of remuneration for MEPs and government members,” Belobradek has told the paper.
Chamber of Deputies chairman Jan Hamacek (Social Democrats, CSSD) said it was good to highlight problems in society, including corruption.
“I am only asking the question of whether this is really the agenda of diplomatic offices of foreign countries or whether this is rather a job for NGOs,” Hamacek said.
TOP 09 leader Miroslav Kalousek said he did not mind the envoys’ efforts.
“I wonder whether the relevant ambassadors have noticed that some groups founded here are rather PR projects backed by Andrej Babis that keep silent that there is a mega conflict of interests,” Kalousek said.
Food and media mogul Babis (ANO) is the owner of the Agrofert food holding. According to the Forbes magazine, his property is worth 2.4 billion US dollars, which makes him the second richest Czech after Petr Kellner.
Zbynek Stanjura, head of the deputy group of the opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS), said he would not have any reservations about the efforts provided the ambassadors of the five countries were doing a similar campaign in other countries, too.
“I have no news about this. Corruption is rife across the world, both in the West and in the East,” Stanjura said.
“If anyone wants to fight it, this is right, but it should be done everywhere,” he added.
“It is no wonder that the countries have started doing something with the corruption as it is strongly anchored in them,” Communist (KSCM) leader Vojtech Filip said.
Sobotka (CSSD) told the paper he welcomed any activity contributing to the fight against corruption.
Cooperation between a number of embassies and the government is actively under way in this sphere, he added.
Babis said it was good that the ambassadors informed their countries about the business environment here.
“This is vital when investors decide between the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia where to build a factory and give jobs to people,” Babis said.
pv/t/kva
